Sugar Land approves $391,000 contract to update Integrated Water Resource Plan

The Sugar Land City Council on March 17 authorized a $391,000 service contract with CDM Smith, Inc. to update the city's Integrated Water Resource Plan (IWRP). The update will recalibrate the planning model to current conditions, refine water-demand projections (out to 2100), re-evaluate recommended projects and expand public and council engagement using tools such as town halls and an interactive website.

Margot Williams, water-resources manager, said the city's original model was developed in 2019 and that changes since then ' including an expanded service area and new Fort Bend subsidence-district deadlines ' make an update timely. "We will work with CDM Smith to give them a notice to proceed and we anticipate it'll probably take about a year to get the model updated," Williams said. Staff noted the update and training will also include building in-house capacity to use the model for future updates.

The project is budgeted in the utility fund for FY26 and staff said the expense is covered. Council approved the contract unanimously (mover: Miller; second: Single). The update is intended to inform future water-supply investments and to ensure continued compliance with subsidence-district regulations that set conversion timelines for alternative water supplies.